DA urges Ramaphosa to give regular updates on lockdown

DA interim leader, John Steenhuisen, says that these restrictions are in place due to the lack of oversight on the decisions taken by the National Command Council during the State of Disaster.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Interim Leader, John Steenhuisen has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to update the nation on the continued lockdown of the country relating to COVID-19.

Steenhuisen says it has been more than two weeks since Ramaphosa last addressed the nation on the issue, when he announced that the country would move to alert level 4 of the lockdown.

He wants Ramaphosa to address the nation at least once a week and also take questions from the media during the briefing.

The DA also wants the President to disclose the scientific data the National Coronavirus Command Council, which Ramaphosa chairs, is using to justify the continued lockdown.

Steenhuisen says they have increasingly expressed their objection to the continued lockdown.

Last week, Steenhuisen slammed the lockdown, saying it is doing more harm than the virus it’s meant to curb.

In the video below, John Steenhuisen speaks about the lockdown:

Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, hit back in a tweet, advising Steenhuisen to “stay in his lane”.

The Leader of the DA, Hon Steenhuisen, must stay in his lane. You have no right to instruct our President to open the economy. That is disrespectful and unwarranted. Please delete your tweet!! Hayibo! Thixo!

I think that we have a twar in the making here @jsteenhuisen about our parties. Let’s see, do you have the support of all in the DA? My sources tell me otherwise. A 3 year post matrix qualification is important they tell me. Next